The Perks of Being An Average Teen
by Venchaser
Summary: Summer. 19 year old Naruto is living in the picturesque village of Ancrad. He lives in an apartment complex together with friends. One day, a new boy arrives and things hit off immediately between Naruto and this interesting new boy. This friendship eventually grows into something more. Experience the summer of their lives. A story about love, summer experiences and friendship.
1. Naruto

The sun began to set when nineteen year old Naruto Uzumaki decided to go out to buy groceries. The last rays of sun shone on his golden hair as he locked his apartment door. The cool summer wind blew on his face as he started strolling towards town. He lived in a small, but cosy apartment in a picturesque village called Ancrad. As he was walking down the street he was thinking about what he should buy for this night's dinner. The streets were empty except for the occasional passer-by whom Naruto greeted with a kind smile. His mind was preoccupied with the thought of food. Making dinner every day was a fun challenge for him. Instead of wasting money on pre-packed food and products, he chose fresh materials with which he would cook up a delicious meal. Today, he would make spaghetti bolognaise. Variation was the key to a healthy lifestyle, Naruto believed.

The paved streets gave the village a rustic feeling. Quaint little sidewalks connected the little houses to the street. The town of Ancrad was actually quite small. With a population of 1500 people, it was never crowded. However, on hot summer days, the park near Naruto's apartment tended to be a bit packed during the day. Luckily, he was never bothered by the amount of people since there wasn't really any noise. Perhaps two or three loud children, but he could live with that. This rural town was located near a forest, so the air was always fresh, never polluted. All in all you could state that his was a very green village. Not a filthy industrious city, filled with cars and grumpy people who don't say sorry when they accidently bump into you. No, Ancrad was a very amiable little town.

Incidentally, Ancrad was an university town, meaning that an university was located there and as a result of that there was a large population of students present in that town. The University of Ancrad was founded by an eccentric woman, rumoured to look as a twenty-five year old woman but actually being fifty years old.

After what seemed like five minutes of walking Naruto entered the small supermarket. He was welcomed by the cool air-conditioning of the store. He picked up a small basket and headed towards aisle two which was abundant with fresh fruit and vegetables. Nobody else but Naruto was in the aisle, so the young man took his time choosing the best tomatoes and carrots. He then walked to the other aisles to assemble the rest of his dinner. As his basket was starting to fill with all sorts of ingredients, he allowed himself to buy some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Indulging a time or two a week couldn't hurt, right?

After paying for all his groceries he decided to take a shortcut through the park for his stomach starting growling dangerously. He heard to bells of the local church chime six times. Was it already this late? Naruto quickened his pace because the bags of groceries started to weigh and the muscles of his right arm started to ache. "Ah, I can't wait to get home and start cooking. This is going to be one hell of a meal!" He thought to himself "Nothing beats a freshly made meal after a long day."

The walk home, even though the boy had taken a shortcut, seemed to take longer than he ever imagined. His growling stomach let out a final roar when he finally saw the familiar lamppost near his apartment.

Climbing the stairs he felt drops of sweat rolling down his back. Even though the sun had set the temperature was still pretty high. Finally arrived at his door he put down his bag of groceries to find his keys. His hand slipped into his pocket to retrieve the key to the apartment. His heart skipped a beat when he didn't found his keys right away. He started rummaging through his other pockets and groceries as even more sweat drops began to manifest. "This can't be happening! I swear I put them in my back pockets, damn it!" he almost shouted "Fuck, fuck, fuck, typic Naruto." In his panic he did not hear a person coming up to him. "Lost your keys again, eh?" said a feminine voice. Naruto looked up to find the source of this utterance. "Sakura, it's not my fault the stupid keys keep disappearing! Oh, man! What am I going to do?!" Next to him stood his neighbour and childhood friend Sakura Haruno. "Perhaps you should try looking in the front pocket of your shirt. You tend to put your keys there, or so I have noticed." She said with a playful smile. He raised his hand to the front pocket and his heart pumping slower. His keys were in his front pocket. "God, I am such an idiot!" Naruto said sheepishly while rubbing his clammy hand through his hair.

He invited Sakura in to have dinner with him, eating alone was not something Naruto enjoyed doing. "Oh, I'm sorry, Hun. I've got a date with a hunky man tonight and I still have to do a thousand things." "That's fine! I hope you have a great time!" Naruto said with a huge smile. "Do I know him?" the blond haired youth asked. "I doubt it. His name is Shikamaru. He is this guy I met when I was working at the café last week. Apparently, he had been staring at me for two hours. Ino informed me of his staring. I hadn't noticed at all!"

"Ooh, sounds very exciting, what happened then?" asked Naruto as he began to put his groceries away. They had moved the conversation to Naruto's kitchen. "Well, nothing special, really. I went up to him, asked if he wanted anything else. He looked me in the eyes and said he would my number to go." Sakura's face flushed scarlet. "I hope you have a great time tonight. Do tell me all about it tomorrow! That is," Naruto began with a devilish smile "if you come home tomorrow. Maybe you'll spend the night with him and have hot, steamy se-" Naruto yelped as Sakura poked between the ribs. "Don't let your imagination run wild, pervert. We're only going out for dinner. Besides, it's only the first date. It's way too early for that kind of stuff." She winked. "Well, I'd better get dressed." said Sakura as she glanced at the clock that announced it was half past six. "Don't want to be late for my date!" And with that final remark she kissed Naruto on the cheek and happily exited the apartment.

Half an hour later, at seven o' clock, Naruto was sitting at his table, quietly eating his spaghetti while watching a television program. He sighed. Eating alone was hell. Although he had eaten alone many a times, he couldn't get used to it. He had hoped Sakura would've been able to join him, but he couldn't keep her from going on a date. That would be selfish. 'Another night alone, eh, pal?' He said to himself as he took a sip of his lemonade.

Time passed away and soon the clock struck eleven. Naruto began to feel sleepy and prepared himself to go to bed. In the bathroom he switched his contact lenses for glasses. Brushed his teeth and finally washed his face with a cleansing product. His skin had been prone to spots in his early teens and so he had committed himself to a rigorous ritual to maintain a clear-looking skin. However, his skin was still flawed with the occasional scar. Remnants of his acne. However, he had started a treatment involving something called 'Tea Tree-oil', which was rumoured to fade blemishes. He stared in the mirror and examined his other features. It could not be said that his features were perfectly symmetrical, but then again, hardly anybody had the perfect face. His sun-kissed skin contrasted his light hair and sky blue eyes. You could say he was the proudest of his eyes.

His guardian, Iruka Umino, always said his eyes were as beautiful as the sky of a warm summer's day. But then again, Iruka always had the habit to dote on him. Iruka had been taking care of Naruto ever since his parents died in a car crash. Iruka was twenty-three at that time. Iruka had been long-time friends with Minato and Kushina, he even was Minato's best man at the wedding. The teacher was devastated when he heard the news. Minato and Kushina were going out to celebrate Kushina's birthday. Minato had treated Kushina to a romantic dinner at candlelight and a trip to a fancy spa. Naruto was only 1 year old at that time, so Iruka was asked by the two parents to babysit their son when the phone suddenly rang. "Is this the Uzumaki residence?" asked a stern voice. "Yes, this is Iruka Umino speaking, what is this about if I may ask?" The phone slipped out of Iruka's hand after the stern voice said that Minato and Kushina Uzumaki had been involved in a car accident. A drunken man had crashed into their car. No survivors. Not a very pretty scene, apparently.

The news had stunned Iruka. Unable to answer the horrifying news he just stood there. Only the cries of little Naruto brought him back. The realisation that two of his friend were no more broke his heart. And poor Naruto! He would never get to know his parents. The days after the accident were a haze. Iruka immersed himself in paperwork to get the funeral done. Another pressing issue at that time had been the adoption of Naruto. Both Minato and Kushina had no living relatives, meaning no family for Naruto to go to. Luckily, Iruka knew some people inside the system and they made sure Iruka got custody of Naruto. Iruka would've never forgiven himself if he had let the poor child alone. And so Naruto become Iruka's adopted son.

Naruto had learned the truth only a few years ago. He felt sad when he was faced with the fact his parents were gone, but the first thing he said after he had heard the story from Iruka was "Thanks, dad."

Naruto snapped out his little trail of thoughts and continued to his bedroom. His room was medium-sized, but still cosy. Square-shaped with a view on the park. The walls were painted in a warm orange colour, the kind of orange you could see when the sun was setting. His desk was set up in front of his window so that he could enjoy a nice view now and then when he was studying or writing papers. His bed had navy blue bed sheets with a swirling circle pattern. Next to his bed stood a little nightstand with a reading lamp, two books and a glass of water on it. A long poster of a bustling city at night decorated the wall above his bed. A tall bookcase filled with textbooks, games and little collectibles was installed against the wall facing the window. The occasional lost sock lay on the floor, next to the bed. An empty bowl, which once held some crisps, stood next to his computer on the desk. Papers were shattered across the floor. His room was a bit of a mess but it was still manageable. At least, that is what Naruto always used to say. Iruka would probably throw a fit if would see this mess. But, Iruka would not be here for another 8 weeks, so Naruto could be as untidy as he liked to be.

He went to the window, leaning over his desk, to lower the curtains. He then proceeded towards his bed and fell with a contented sigh on the soft pillow. Sleep came quick and Naruto dozed off to dreamland.


	2. Kiba

Hi, I'm the author! I would like to say I thank you all of you who showed interest in reading my story. I do apologize for grammatical/interpunction/lexical errors. I do not have a beta-reader. If you want to become my beta-read you can always send me a mail (or how does this thing work?) Also, this is my first story and hope to improve! Constructive critism is always welcome. That's it for now!

Happy reading!

"Kiba, are your things packed yet?" shouted a dark-haired woman from the kitchen "I don't want you to call me tomorrow in full panic because you forgot a toothbrush or something else." "Don't worry mom!" said Kiba Inuzuka, who was currently packing the final pair of trousers in his suitcase "Stop worrying so much, I'll be fine. When's the last time I ever forgot anything?" "Well, you forgot your IPod at Grandma's last week and the month before that you lost your favourite pair of shoes which, by the way, were lying next to the washing-machine. Honestly, how are you going to survive on your own?" Said his mother. "I'll manage. I can't be that hard, can it?" Answered the boy, who had just entered the kitchen, tentatively. His mother just sighed, hoping her son would grow mature soon.

A few hours later Kiba was sitting at his desk while skyping with his long-time friend Hinata. "I can't wait for you to start living in Ancrad!" said Hinata cheerfully. "Yeah, I can't wait either! My first time living alone." Kiba's voice lowered towards the end of his last sentence. Hinata could see a small flicker of fear, no not fear, but uncertainty in the chocolate brown eyes of her best friend. 'Don't worry, you won't be alone! You'll have me! I mean, you're going to live five minutes away from my house. I can easily visit you'. Kiba looked at Hinata with a grateful look. "Besides," she began "Ancrad is full of young people! You're bound to make friends. You have a great sense of humour, are sportive, and you have gorgeous little face. What's not to like?" Said Hinata with great enthusiasm. "Stop being a worry-wart!" "You're right, I guess."

Kiba was amazed how Hinata opened up after all these years. When they were younger, they lived next to each other. Hinata used to be this little shy girl who got scared from her own shadow. After she had met Kiba, The shy girl gradually started to be more outgoing. His enthusiasm and spontaneity must have rubbed off on her, he always thought. Hinata could only be described as a natural beauty. She had flawless straight hair, black as the night. She had a pale skin that reminded Kiba of snow. He used to call her Snow White, but as they grew older the nickname got dropped. Though, on some occasions he would tease her and call her 'Princess Snow White'. However, even more remarkable were her eyes. She had very pale eyes. Some people found it weird, others found it fascinating. Kiba always thought Hinata's eyes were striking. His eyes were plain and brown, boring. Hinata disagreed, she would give anything to have such warm, brown eyes. But then again, everyone has something that they wish they could change. Some of us want to change the colour of their hair. Other wants to be a bit thinner, and so on. Being who we are is something that we cannot change. We need to learn accept ourselves and be happy for who we are. Flaws can easily be found in appearances and looks, but so can the beautiful things.

"I've got to go, Hina. I've got to get a good night's rest. Don't want to look like a zombie when I move in!" Kiba jokingly said as he started to close the internet browser. "Alright, see you tomorrow!" he waved goodbye and closed Skype. After closing his laptop and putting it in the laptop bag he sauntered towards the bathroom to brush his teeth. Two minutes later he was lying on his back, staring at the dark ceiling, thinking about the coming day. Kiba was one of those people who couldn't sleep when they got excited. His mind started wandering off towards strange ideas. What if his neighbours were really old, boring people? Or these crazy junkies? Well, the last one couldn't be true. According to Hinata, Ancrad is a very peaceful town, nothing to worry about. Of course, there was to occasional troublemaker, but it didn't go any further then some drunk teenagers who made a lot of noise while roaming the deserted streets. No worries there. "What if I get homesick?" thought Kiba. "I can always call home, besides, Ancrad isn't that far away." "Finally going to start living alone, eh? Who would've thought mom would be so obliging… I guess she knows I'm starting to become an adult… But I won't be an adult for some time. I mean, I'm still young, I'm still a student, I've got to get my degree… I'm starting to get independent, but I'm not quite there yet. Thank god. Wouldn't want to become a boring old geezer."

Without realising Kiba entered the world of sleep. A dreamless sleep. Sweet oblivion. Yet, the night was still young and offered a lot of possibilities. He could wake up and start reading a book to pass time or he could gaze outside at the stars, reminiscing fond memories. But not tonight. Tonight would be null. Kiba would have plenty of opportunities later.

He did not realise it, but his life was just starting to begin. However, don't forget that life does not stop for anybody, not even for you. Time slips through our fingers as soft sand. With no way to of slowing things down. It with growing older that we learn the value of time. Fleeting moments become memories. Cherished memories. Things we would look back on, when we have grown old and wise. But for now, we need to focus on the present.

The sun started to rise. Its beams touched the earth. Birds began to sing and ever so quietly people began to awaken from their slumber. A ray of sunshine hit Kiba's face and his eyes slowly opened. He glanced towards to his alarm that announced it was seven a.m. He slowly got up, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. A big yawn escaped his mouth as he stood up and slowly walked towards the bathroom to take a shower.

An hour and thirty minutes and several tirades of his mother later he was driving to Ancrad with all of his belongings in the backseat and trunk of his blue Mini Cooper. It was a sunny day with the promise of becoming an ideal summer's day. There wasn't any traffic on the road. Kiba opened the roof of his car to feel the cool wind run through his hair. One of his guilty pleasures: max the volume of his radio, open the car's roof and singing along with his favourite songs. While driving his eye fell on a box on the side of the ride. He made sure there weren't any other cars behind him as he slowed the car a bit down to see if there was anything in the box. His eyes widened the moment he saw a white ball of fluff shaking inside the box. He pulled the car over and killed the engines. He slowly quitted the car and walked towards the box. Upon closer inspection he saw that the little white fluff ball was a little puppy.

The poor thing was shaking with fear. Kiba slowly approached the little dog. He carefully lowered his hand in the box and kept it there for a while. The white doggy slowly came near his hand and sniffed it cautiously. When the little pup deemed Kiba okay he started licking his hand. "Aw, aren't you the sweetest little thing?" Kiba was shocked that someone just had dumped this little puppy. "Well, you're coming with me!" He said as he lifted the little puppy out of his box and carried him to his car. The pup happily obliged by wagging his tail. Once settled in the car, Kiba resumed his ride to Ancrad.

"I can't believe that that some people would leave a little, harmless puppy on the road to die!" Kiba said in unbelief. The little pup barked in response. "Ha-ha, you're a funny little guy, aren't ya?" Let's see, how am I going to call?" pondered Kiba as he was driving. The young dog patiently wagged his tail waiting for what his new owner would call him. "How about Skipper?" The dog growled "Hmm, that's a bit silly. And Akamaru? You like that name?" The white puppy barked happily. "Akamaru it is!"

After about five hours and several potty-breaks later, Kiba car stopped in front of a rather impressive house. He honked the horn of his car. A window in the front of the house opened, revealing a beautiful girl. "Get in loser, we're going shopping!" said Kiba with a playful smile. Hinata grinned and shouted back "That is so _fetch!_" Quoting _Mean Girls_ was one of their mutual guilty pleasures.

Not a minute had passed or Hinata was already sitting in Kiba's car with Akamaru on her lap. The two childhood friends had a lot of chatting up to do. How things were going in their non-existent love lives, how their studies were going, were Kiba had found Akamaru and so much more.

As the clock tower sounded it was two 'o clock, Hinata and Kiba decided they would go for a late lunch at a cute little coffee bar near the clock tower. They were both enjoying the sun while eating a delicious sandwich and an extraordinary Frappuccino. "Man, I could get used to lunches like these every day!" Kiba said joyously. "Oh, we should definitely go that little Japanese restaurant near the park! They have the best fried yakisoba!" Said Hinata cheerfully.

The little coffee bar was situated on a rather large square. In the middle of the square stood the imposing clock tower. The tower had a beautifully decorated spire tower in the late gothic style. The clock itself was decorated with little stars and planets that were similar to a certain clock tower in Prague. The square was surrounded by little shops, bars, shrubberies and trees, quite a green square actually even with all the shops. Quaint benches were placed under the cooling shades of trees. In front of the clock tower stood a magnificent fountain with little stone frogs that functioned as decorations. The whole square had a pleasant feeling to it. Because Ancrad wasn't that largely populated, the square was never crowded to the point it was unpleasant. There were, of course, the families with children that went for a walk, stopping at the local ice-cream bar and the old people who were sitting content on a bench, observing the other people. But it all added to the charm of the square.

"I wish I had moved sooner! This place is awesome!" Kiba said while drinking in the sights. Hinata just smiled and let Kiba enjoy the moment. They would have enough time to talk. "Say, did you know I switched universities?" Kiba began "Let me guess," said Hinata with a little cocky smile "you are also going to Ancrad University starting this autumn?" "How did you know?" "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, Dum-dum!" Kiba just sheepishly laughed. "You'll remain in the Economics department, right?" asked Hinata. "Yup, no reason to change majors, right?" replied Kiba "You still studying Languages and Linguistics?" "Yup, I passed my resits!" Hinata answered proud. "'Twas a hard battle, but I managed." She pretended as if the resits had been one epic battle, which was actually a fitting image of exams in general.

"I think it's time we should go and meet your new home!" Hinata started. "You're right! Come 'on Akamaru, you ready to meet your new home?" said Kiba. The white pup who had been resting on Kiba's lap answered with a little bark. Hinata and Kiba paid their bills and started walking to the car. "Finally, going to see my new home! Ha! So exciting!" thought Kiba as he started the engine of his navy Mini Cooper.


	3. Sakura's Date

Naruto's morning got off to a slow start. He failed to notice his alarm which was programmed to wake him at eight a.m. When the young adult finally woke up, it was almost noon. Naruto stumbled out of bed and in a result of that he let out an enormous sigh. He hated waking up this late, he believed that had wasted a large portion of the day already and Naruto felt he was doomed to a day full of bad luck.

As it tends to go with self-fulfilling prophecies, Naruto's morning, or what rested of that morning, was filled with misfortune. First the milk he had put into his coffee: it had just expired, which gave the drink a vile taste. He then bumped his little toe against a cupboard. And as if that wasn't enough he finally burned his hand when he accidentally knocked over his steaming cup of revolting coffee as he flailed about thanks to the collision of his toe against the cupboard. The teen let out a fierce roar as he kicked the cupboard to vent some of his frustration and pain. Drops of coffee were now dripping in a distinctive rhythm on the wooden floor.

All the ruckus did not leave Naruto's awakening unnoticed as Sakura was now banging against his door. Grumbling, he opened the door to be greeted by a worried neighbour. "What is happening here? It seemed you were renovating your apartment, judging from the sound of it." "No, unfortunately no renovating for today." Began our hero, his tenor voice coloured by a sarcastic tone. "Why, do enter my humble abode. Care for a cup of expired milk?" "Drop the attitude, I'm here to help." Replied Sakura, entering the apartment. Her eye fell on the growing puddle of coffee. "We'd better clean that coffee up, right now. It'll leave a stain otherwise."

A cleaning session and some lukewarm water on Naruto's hand restored order in the Uzumaki residence. The wooden floor showed no sign of being besmeared by coffee. Rays of the sun broke through the windows of the apartment, creating shadows of Naruto's furniture. Birds were chirping cheerily outside and a warm south wind softly blew through the trees, creating a soothing song of rustling leafs. Sounds of young children playing on the streets filled the neighbourhood.

Sakura and Naruto were both seated in his couch, staring outside, watching the park, enjoying the sight, talking about little things. Naruto glanced at Sakura's face. Although she had tried to covering the bags under her eyes, she could not reduce the puffiness. In fact, she looked exhausted. Her green eyes focussed on a bird that was resting on its nest. A plain-looking girl. Little blemishes were still visible under that thin layer of make-up. Her straight hair, which had a rich copper colour, was getting long. She favoured a shorter hairstyle, so it was probably going to be cut, one of these days, thought Naruto.

"How did your date go last night?" He asked, breaking the silence. A sigh escaped Sakura's mouth, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, balancing the supporting arm on her knee. "I always attract the weird ones." Naruto could not but let out a little snort. Sakura shot him a deadly look. "Honestly!"

Sakura stood in front of her mirror applying the final touches of her make-up. This would be her first date in quite a while. She wore a simple above-the-knee, pale green dress. Sakura moved to her living room and seated herself in her couch.

Tapping her left hand against her right knee she glanced at the clock. Seven-thirty. He would be here any minute. Her heart was beating like a drum. She began to draw short staccato breaths as her eyes were focussed on the hands of the clock. Each second was accompanied with the familiar ticking sound. Tick. Tock. Time slowly crept forward. With each agonising tick her heart started beating louder and louder. Her breathing became shallower with each fleeting second. She became aware of every little sound: Naruto singing one of his favourite rock songs; the creaking of the wooden floor below her feet; little drops coming out of the tap; a mosquito; the rustling of the leaves; the ticking of the clock.

A knock at the door stopped her breath. She stood up, trembling. When she opened the door she was greeted by a dashing Shikamaru. His hair, styled in a faux hawk. He wore a simple back dress-shirt, sleeves rolled up, and black jeans. "Ready?" Shikamaru said with a cocky smile. Sakura could only let out an unintelligible sound as he took her hand and led her down the stairs.

After a short drive in Shikamaru's second-hand car they arrived at a little bistro called _L'Etoile Noire_. They got seated near the window that gave them quite a view of the clock tower square. The lights at the base of the tower added to the grand air of the stone structure. A waiter came to take their orders. Sakura decided on the bouillabaisse while Shikamaru opted for the steak with wild champignons.

The evening progressed and Sakura came to realise her mistake of a agreeing to this date. Her fairy tale shattered. She and Shikamaru had absolutely nothing in coming. It became quite clear that Shikamaru found every 'a drag' or 'a pain'. No hobbies, no apparent likes or dislikes. Yet, Shikamaru was no idiot. He apparently was a prodigy when it came to mathematics. He was currently writing his PhD on pure mathematics. Sakura lost him the moment he mentioned the words 'functional analysis'. Her eyes began to glaze over. Shikamaru, however, continued talking vector spaces. He didn't took notice of her disinterest. "So, he _is_ capable of being passionate about something." Thought the girl. The genius was so caught up in his talk about his dissertation he didn't notice Sakura started looking around the restaurant.

She spotted a couple, holding hands when the waiter brought one big piece of chocolate cake with a chocolate heart on top. He laid down two spoons and smiled at the love-struck duo. The black-haired man took up the spoon and scooped a little piece of the cake. Little crumbles fell on the table while he slowly brought the cake towards the mouth of the somewhat chubbier girl.

Sakura diverted her gazing eyes. She felt a bit perverted for staring at the tender moment between the two lovers. But it was also in that moment the final butterfly that had been twirling in her stomach disappeared, together with the bouillabaisse.

Shikamaru's lack of interest in her hobbies, her interest began to annoy her immensely. He could only yap about himself and his Doctor of Philosophy.

Shikamaru had apparently noticed she had been staring at the couple because he said "Damn, I think Porky Pig should better lay of the cake. One more bite and she'd exploded." He laughingly said. This crude overstatement was the final drop.

"Say," She began in a voice, colder than the fierce tundra "I need to get up real early in the morning. Mind if we call it a night?" "Huh? Oh, sure. Let me get the check." "Oh, don't mind that, I'll pay my share." "Oh, no! I couldn't d-""I said: I will pay my part of the bill." Ended Sakura in harsh voice.

The worst part of it all was that Shikamaru couldn't see any fault in the evening. Not in the date itself or his behaviour. He himself assumed he had been quite the gentleman. Sakura seemed a little tense to him, but he believed she was just a bit nervous.

He hadn't even notice her growing annoyance. "I think he just loves to hear himself talk. And his attitude towards that girl. Unforgivable!" Thought a bitter Sakura during the ride home. Her legs and arms were so tightly crossed she started cutting of her own flow of blood.

What seemed like an endless care ride finally came to an end as Shikamaru killed the engine. "I had a really good time tonight." He started coming closer. Sakura knew where this was headed to. She had to come up with an excuse, pronto. The PhD student drew closer to her. Sakura's mind was running overtime as she tried to avert the incoming lips.

Shikamaru closed his eyes, he could almost feel her soft lips pressed against his when he suddenly heard the door to his car open. "I'm terribly sorry! I've got a cold sore on my lip. See?" Sakura got out. The dim lighting made it impossible for Shikamaru to see the imaginative cold sore. "Uh, sure. I guess I'll see you around sometime. At the café or so." "You do that" She started to climb the stairs up to her apartment.

She did not glance back to see Shikamaru drive off into the night. With a swift movement she opened the door to her apartment and closed it immediately. Sakura slipped out of her high heels and into her slippers. An enormous weight fell on her shoulders. Tired, disappointed, and in an especially bad mood she went to her bed and fell on its soft surface. However, sleep would not come. The words that had rolled out of Shikamaru's mouth kept haunting her: Porky Pig.

"And that is the story of my horrible date and how I was deprived of my night's sleep." Sakura ended.

"Lovely story. Truly moved me. Want to go get some lunch around the corner and figure out some way to make 'jerk repellent'? " Said Naruto playfully. Sakura rolled her eyes but could not supress little smile "Fine."


	4. Meeting the new neighbour

Hey there! Sorry, it has been a while. Classes and assignments are taking most up of my time, and with the exams coming up soon, I cannot promise a new chapter for the coming month. But, I wanted to give a little something, so here is the first part of the new chapter. Reviewing and feedback is always welcome! Just a little note: the little voice in Naruto's head is not the Nine-Tails, it's just the little part of our subconscience that always has to have its little say. Have fun reading! Update: couldn't leave to chapter unfinished

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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After a satisfying lunch Naruto and Sakura returned to their apartment-complex. Their conversation was disrupted when Naruto spotted a young woman who was wearing a lilac summer dress. On closer inspection Naruto recognized Hinata and tried to get her attention by shouting her name while waving his arms fervently.

Naruto, Sakura and Hinata were all fellow-students. They all studied Literature and Linguistics at Ancrad University. However, they did not studied the same languages. Naruto and Hinata both studied English and Dutch whereas Sakura opted for the classical languages Greek and Latin. Because of their different schedules Sakura only saw Hinata during the general discipline-related courses and the one optional course they took together.

Hinata, who was standing next to the navy blue Mini Cooper that was parked in front of the apartment building, noticed Naruto's enthusiastic movements and she waved back, though, not so enthusiastic. Sakura gave Hinata a confused look as Hinata did not own a car. In fact, none of their friends owned such a fancy car. The majority of their friends did not even have a licence yet. And the ones who did have their driver's licence would never use their car to get around Ancrad. Going by bike was much more easier in this little town.

'Do you think she might have a boyfriend and came by to show him off?' Wondered Sakura out loud 'No, I don't think so,' replied Naruto 'Hinata isn't the kind of girl who'd brag about her boyfriend.' Sakura nodded in agreement.

When they arrived at the navy car Hinata was immediately bombarded by questions that Sakura fired at her. 'Who's car is this? Is it a guy? Is he your boyfriend? Is that a new dress?' While being bombarded by an enormous amount of questions Hinata began to blush at Sakura's insinuations of having a boyfriend. The scarlet flush on her face made her look even more guilty to Sakura who was heading in for the kill. 'Don't tell me you're already… moving in with him? I recall the landlord saying something about a new resident moving in but…' Sakura was cut off by Naruto who held his hand in front of her mouth. 'Seriously, stop blabbering like a maniac. So, Hinata, who's car is this?' Naruto asked innocently, but the sweet tone of his voice could not hide his curiosity .

Hinata sighed, the palm of her hand was placed on her forehead. Her friends could be so nosy at times. 'If you'd give me a moment of respite I'd tell you. Honestly, ' she started 'This is my friend's car. A regular friend.' she emphasised the world regular as she saw Sakura's eyes.

While Hinata was forced to give Sakura a full report on the owner of the car, Naruto was inspecting the car. Naruto was not really a car fanatic, but a car this nice could not be ignored. As he was peeping inside the car his eyes fell on a gaming magazine. 'Is this guy a gamer? That would be nice, that'd mean I won't have to bother Sakura anymore if I want to play that multiplayer game.'

Naruto was so caught up dreaming about his potential game buddy he didn't notice the his approaching landlord, Jiraiya, who was accompanied by a tall, handsome boy. 'Well, well, Naruto, scanning the car for something?' he loudly laughed with large breaths. Naruto wanted to retort with a smart comeback, but his eyes fell on the brown-haired boy. His heart skipped, his mind went numb and for a moment he forgot how to swallow, resulting in a violent cough when he choked on his own saliva. Sakura, Hinata and Kiba all focussed on Naruto now who was gasping for air between the coughs.

'Please don't die here, I'd cost me a lot of trouble calling the cops, filling in the paperwork, dealing with all your sad friends. An old man like me cannot handle all that stress.' He jokingly said while patting Naruto's back. The only thought that occupied Naruto's mind was how much he felt like an idiot. An inelegant idiot. He wiped the tears out of his eyes. 'I'm fine, fine.' He tried to shake his coughing off like it was nothing. But a few minor coughs did slip out for the next five minutes.

Kiba stood next to Hinata, who was now introducing him to Sakura. He stared at the blond boy who was trying to regain his breath. 'What a goofy kid.' He thought. 'So… Kiba, was it? What are you majoring in?' Asked Sakura.  
'Economics, second year. Pulling through, somehow.' He said with a little smile.  
'What about you?'  
'Linguistics, Greek and Latin. I'm planning to take the neurolinguistics course when I'm in my Master year.' Began Sakura. She was starting a whole lecture on why she loved neurolinguistics but Kiba's didn't pay attention. His attention was focussed on Naruto who was talking to Jiraiya. Naruto noticed Kiba's staring and he felt his heart skip a beat again. That blissful feeling of floating in the air engulfed Naruto in the guise of a sweet summer wind.

'I'd really want to keep chatting, but I still have a lot of things that I need to take care of, including going to the supermarket to get the basics, you know?' Kiba ended the conversation with Sakura. Shifting his eyes from the boy to the girl in front of him. Sakura seemed nice, and normally he'd chat a little longer, but his to-do list was not growing shorter.  
'Ah, that reminds, Hinata, could you show me the way to the store?' Hinata's face flushed 'Oh, well, this is embarrassing, my mom does all the shopping… I occasionally join her, but I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to get to the shop from here.' 'I can show you.' Volunteered Naruto.  
'Great! And your name was?'  
'Naruto.' Naruto couldn't help but to feel a little pang in his chest. He hadn't remember his name. Of course, He had just met the dashing brown-haired boy, there was no way he could memorize the names at once. 'I remembered his name.' thought a nasty little voice in the back of Naruto's mind.  
'Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'm terrible with names.'  
'Don't sweat it, I'm not a great memorizer of names, either.' Naruto replied. 'Liar.' Said the little voice inside his head. 'Just knock on my door when you're ready to go. I live in apartment 1-B, Sakura lives in 1-C.'  
'Oh, great! I live just above you then. 2-B, right here.' Kiba's laugh reminded him of a dog's barking. It was an odd little laugh, but somehow it made a smile grace Naruto's face. 'Well, see you later, then.' And Kiba went up, together with Hinata, to his new apartment. Jiraiya also bid his farewell and only Naruto and Sakura remained outside, waving their landlord goodbye.

'Thank god you didn't drool, that would have been awkward.' Sakura said with a mischievous grin playing on her face. 'Wha-, Sakura! How dare you! I never drool in public!' Naruto's head was as red as a tomato. 'Oh, I forgot, you only drool when you're asleep. I'll never forget the morning I woke up with one side of my pillow covered in your gooey –'  
'Hold it right there, missy.' Naruto stopped her. Sakura's impish grin never faltered.  
'I'm just teasing. But honestly, Naruto. You have to keep in mind that staring at the new hot guy is a bit weird.' 'Did I really stare at him?' 'You always do.' And so our two little friends made their way to their respective apartments.

The street was empty once again, the occasional pedestrians and cyclists passed the apartment complex, enjoying this fine summer's day. The sun stood high, a couple of clouds were wandering in the ocean-blue sky. A gentle wind made its way through the leaves. The scent of summer; the chlorine in the pools, the scent of freshly mown grass, that one little fragrance you knew was part of summer, but you couldn't name it even if you're life depended on it.

Naruto stood on his little balcony, at the back of his apartment, watching at the trees that stood in the park. Leaning with his elbows on the balcony fencing, his hands supporting his head. He heard noise coming out of the apartment above him. Kiba had apparently opened up the window to his balcony because Naruto could hear everything that was going on in Kiba's apartment. He heard the scrambling of pots, pans and cutlery being put away in to cupboards. Naruto also heard the excited voices of Hinata and Kiba. Surprisingly, he heard an occasional bark. 'I didn't know animals were allowed.' He mumbled to himself.

A few minutes passed when he suddenly heard a loud bang, followed by the whimpering of Hinata. 'She's still the little klutz, eh.' Naruto went back inside and opened up his laptop. 'Hmm, some mindless browsing should some time.' Nothing makes time go faster than looking up funny pictures of cats. But even so, time would not step into its running shoes.

The moment the clock struck five a knock was heard on the door. Naruto jumped out of his chair and threw a quick glance at the mirror. A simple black V-neck t-shirt that complemented the warm orange shorts he wore. Simple black converses hugged his feet. 'Looking fine, Uzumaki.' He thought.

On opening the door he was greeted by a dashing Kiba. Kiba had apparently changed his clothes, because he was now wearing a casual light green short-sleeved shirt that accented his well-toned body. He wore a simple jeans. 'Don't drool.' Was the first thing that came into Naruto's head. Before he could think what he was about to say he said  
'Damn, looking fine,' Naruto realised he had just said something quite inappropriate. The mildly shocked look on Kiba's face. Yet, there was also another emotion that could be read of Kiba's face. A smug smile quickly flashed his face.

Then, another thought popped in Naruto's his mind. 'Shit, I forgot his name; Seriously, now, of all times? I never forget names.' This all happened in milliseconds. Naruto tried to cover up his failing memory by quickly adding 'Neighbour.'

'Hehe, are you always this friendly,' He glanced at the name tag on Naruto's door. 'Uzumaki.'

'Maybe.' The blond answered with a cocky smile. 'Come, let's get you your groceries,' and he then added with a playful smile 'Wouldn't want you to starve.'  
'Sure, let me just get Hinata, I'll drop her of at her house on the way to the store. Then we'll have some bonding time.' Kiba let out a barking laugh. 'Let's me get Hinata. Meet you at my car?' And with that Kiba left to get Hinata. 'This could get interesting.' Naruto mumbled to himself as he closed his door.


	5. An Unexpected Meeting

AN: Hey everyone! I'm back! I promise to add more to this chapter, but I wanted to give you a little something, feast upon this piece of fanfiction! If there are any spelling/grammar mistakes, please do tell. I tend to look over these mistakes when I'm in a hurry :) Even though I ought not to make them... Anyhow, enjoy!

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It turned out not to be so interesting. After a quick drive to Hinata's home, the boys set off to the convenience store. The ride with Hinata was fun; they laughed, made jokes. The moment Hinata entered her house, the atmosphere in the car dropped about thirty degrees Celsius. Naruto and Kiba both realised they do not know anything about each other. The situation could have been described as plain awkward. The first five minutes were filled with meaningless chatter. Every topic Naruto brought up did not last for more than ten seconds. As it turns out, Kiba did not enjoy watching anime, nor did he enjoy playing any of the games Naruto enjoyed. His interest in the brown haired adolescent was dropping faster than a scrawny kid attempting push-ups. It would at least take fifteen more minutes until they would arrive at the store. Going around by car in town costs a lot more time than going by foot. Naruto gave up trying to start a chat and leaned back into the seat, folding his arms across his chest, giving the occasional direction where Kiba had to turn.

Kiba, oblivious to Naruto's growing irritation of the lack of talk, was focussed on the road. Although he hated to admit it, he had poor directional skills, therefore he always paid careful attention when driving somewhere he had never been before, or rarely ventures.

They finally arrived at the convenience store after twenty minutes of awkward conversations and silences. Naruto made sure to make a mental note to inform Kiba he'd better take the bike or go by foot next time. First of all, it is unnecessary to drive a car in such a small town, waste of gas and money. Second, we don't want to pollute the environment any more.

'Well, here we are now. Don't worry, I'll show you all the good stuff. I hope you like Haagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's, because they have most of the flavours here, even though it's a small store. I feel so blessed sometimes.'

Naruto's simple mind sometimes could drift off so easily. Kiba, however, managed to tick off Naruto even more when he said he wasn't that much of an ice cream-person.

'I'm more of a crisp-man.'

Naruto could only reply with a feeble laugh.

After shopping the two boys strolled back to the car. Naruto excused himself and told Kiba he'd walk home. It was such nice weather, after all. After Naruto had made sure Kiba knew the directions he set off to the park.

This park, named Gainsbourgh Park, was one of the perks of living in Ancrad. Not only was it an immense park where you could walk for an entire day, it was also the shortest way to the apartment complex where our little hero resides.

Naruto waved at Kiba, who drove off in the shimmery twilight. The orange haze of summer's midday had enveloped the park. Naruto enjoyed the peace. Especially after the socially awkward situation he just had been in with Kiba. It seemed they were opposites in almost every aspect.

Naruto liked bands such as The Last Goodnight, The Hurts, and, even though he'd never say it out loud to anyone, he did enjoy some Adele songs. We all like to cry our heart out sometimes. But actually, he listened to a lot of different sorts of music. As long as it wasn't dubstep or some repetitive piece of unoriginal composition, he did not mind much. Kiba, on the other hand, did enjoy dubstep. It was music, as Naruto like to believe, that killed brain cells in the process of listening.

Kiba still was a pretty nice fellow, even though all we have been reading up until now wasn't that positive. He had a kind personality, was a friend of animals. We mustn't forget that he is also one fine specimen of the sex called 'man'. However, beauty isn't everything. Naruto had learned that a long time ago. With all the consequences attached.

As Naruto was starting to re-evaluate Kiba in his head, he failed to notice that a certain black-haired boy was following him. This pale, yet very attractive boy quickened his step to catch up with our blond-haired friend. This unknown boy quickly caught up with Naruto. He put his hand on the blonde boy's shoulder and whispered:

'Ever fantasized about doing it in a park with a total stranger?' said a low baritone in a seductive voice.

Naruto, shocked by this sudden declaration, tripped over his own feet and fell painfully on his side. Dirt crawled underneath his nails. A sharp pain spread through his arm. Even the soft earth couldn't soften the impact.

'What the hell,' he started, but his voice soon died away when a flash of recognition appeared on his face. His shock soon turned into pure resent.

'Sasuke, I knew you were a little snake.' He growled. Naruto's nails sank deeper in the cool earth, following a another sharp jolt of pain running through his right arm.

'Don't frown so much. It'll ruin your pretty face,' Sasuke said in mocking tone. 'Can't handle a little joke?'

'I do _not_ call that a little joke. Hell, I thought I was being attacked by some kind of rapist.'

'Well, that's not too far from the truth.' Sasuke replied with a sadistic smile creeping on his face.

Naruto recollected himself and wiped the dirt off his clothes.

'My new pants.' Naruto muttered softly. After a final pat on his pants he resumed walking, ignoring the pain in his right arm and side. Sasuke, annoyed by Naruto's lack of interest, followed him.

'How've you been?' he asked, in that same arrogant voice he'd always formulate a question. He always made everything sound like an order. Something that used to excite Naruto. However, those days were long gone.

'Better, but now that I've seen you, it seems my mood has sunk, just like the Titanic.'

Naruto's steps left faint traces in the earth. His hurried steps were follow by the determined steps of Sasuke. As if nature knew of the history between these two boys, the wind picked up.

The wind blew through the leaves, creating a hollow symphony. The rhythmic stomps of Naruto set the tempo of nature's music. The wind kept picking up, a strong crescendo was building. The orange sky was turning grey. Dark clouds gathered the trees towered high above them, resembling the pillars of an ancient temple, providing shelter for the now falling drops of rain.

Naruto's mood only sank deeper.

'How fitting,' he started sarcastically 'Mr Asshole shows up and a perfectly lovely summer's day turns to –'Naruto's sentence was cut off by a loud roar of thunder.

Naruto cursed under his breath as he settled himself under a particularly large tree, covering himself from the now pouring rain. Sasuke had joined him. Naruto glanced up to get a good look on his face and was surprised the elder boy's expression was full of an unknown emotion. Regret? Pain? Constipation?

Rain was pouring. The fierce wind ceased to be, allowing the rain to fall straight down.

The two boys just stood there for a moment. Listening to the notes of rain. Naruto's mind was empty. He felt a white hot rage build up. He sharply turned his face to Sasuke. Sasuke, seemingly contemplating something, also turned his face to Naruto. Dark brown eyes met the ocean in Naruto's eyes.

A roar of thunder drowned out the words Sasuke spoke. Naruto had not heard the words, but he knew what meaning they carried. He knew what Sasuke had said. He had to get out of here. His house was only fifteen minutes away from here, if he'd walk.

Naruto rose quickly to his feet and broke into a run. Sasuke did not follow him.

Even though it had been a warm day, the rain had quickly cooled down earth. The cold rain soaked Naruto. He could feel his longs burning. A painful stitch in his side reminded him he was getting out of shape. Yet, he couldn't care less for the pain. He had to get home, before he'd do something stupid, again.

After an agonizing run through the bitter rain he finally reached his house. He saw Kiba's car. But now, he couldn't care less. He ran up the stairs, ran straight past his own apartment and knocked like a mad man on Sakura's door.

Sakura, covered in some kind of face-mask opened the door. Her expression of annoyance turned into one of surprise.

'You're drenched! I thought you went with Kiba?' her voice was laced with a hint of uncertainty.

'I'll tell that later. You'll never know who I met on my way back.' Naruto's voice was trembling. Sakura could not make out cause of the tremble in his voice. Was it shock or was it because he looked like he had fallen in a pool full of freezing water?

'Stay here,' she ordered 'You're not going to drip all over my floor. I'll get a towel and then we'll talk.'


	6. Sasuke

I met Sasuke during my first year at Ancrad University. I was reading up on my paper's topic – bilingualism and children – when someone decided to occupy the seat right in front of me. The library was almost empty. Only during the period of finals it's booming. Now, you had the feeling you were in some kind of deserted, post-apocalyptic building. Minus the destruction or brain-eating zombies, of course.

I felt a sting of annoyance. Why did this guy have to pick that seat? There were dozens of others. Nonetheless, I focussed on the books in front of me. The books were filled with abstract theories and terms, and I was beginning to regret my choice of topic. As I struggled with a certain theory on language acquisition, I was oblivious the my surroundings. Until a certain someone's foot started rubbing against my leg.

My eyes shot up, meeting an endless night without stars. A cocky smirk played on the boy's lips. His face was set in an arrogant way. Although I am not proud to admit it, I was kind of happy to be given this kind of attention. However, at the moment, I knew I had to maintain my dignity. I stood up, angry face on.

'Excuse me,' I started, trying not to raise my voice too much 'Mind keeping your touchy foot to yourself?'.

The dark-haired youth kept staring at me with his unfaltering smug expression.

'Well?' I raised my voice. As I did, A violent 'shh!' was thrown my way by the annoyed librarian, pointing wildly at the sign 'do not talk'.

I gave the lady a look of guilt. I didn't mean to break the rules, but this arrogant douche was working on my nerves.

I glanced back at source of my irritation, who still wore his satisfied, arrogant attitude.

"Not my fault you're so damn cute." He said in a seductive baritone voice. I felt a crimson blush creeping on my face. He clearly noticed this. The arrogant boy chuckled.

"I'm just messing with ya." And added a condescending wink.

The wave of anger returned. I showed him my middle finger and gathered my books. I could read on another floor, or take the books home.

I was just about to storm out when he got hold of my wrist, a strong grip with the intention of not letting me go.

'I was joking, idiot.' He now whispered, dropping his superior attitude.

'The terms of endearment aren't really working for me." I put extra emphasis on the last words. 'Now let go.' I yanked my wrist once more, unable to escape the hold.

'Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Just hear me out.' This time, no arrogance, no condescending. His arrogant smirk made room for a look of genuine regret, softening his handsome features.

'Let me make it up by buying you a coffee, 'kay?' The dark eyes looked straight at me like puppy eyes.

'Make it a coffee _and_ a cinnamon swirl and it's a deal.' I smiled victoriously. Free coffee and a cake? This guy wasn't so bad after all, perhaps.

'The name's Sasuke.' He said in an intoxicating voice.

At the local coffee shop I learned that Sasuke was studying law. He aimed high, hoping to get a PhD in family law. He came from an influential family full of lawyers. If I he hadn't spoken with so much passion about law, I'd say he was pushed in the branch. After the first meeting, we agreed to meet again. And again. And again.

I soon learned that his normal way of acting was snobby and snooty, a flaw. But then again, everybody has their flaws. The dates gradually grow more serious. First little trips to the city and have an ice-cream, sitting at the waterside. Then came to film trips. Normally, you'd then go to a restaurant that was affordable for students. Not us. Sasuke's ego wouldn't have allowed that, I suspect. So we went to an high-end, fancy restaurant. I never saw the check, Sasuke insisted on paying. Had I mentioned he was stinking rich?

Money flowed as freely as water in the Uchiha household. Although I felt like a freeloader on many occasions, Sasuke always insisted on paying. He also had a strong sense of pride, as if he seemed to prove himself.

And as time went on, our relation grew more and more serious. Sasuke claimed many of 'firsts'. My first date, my first kiss, my first going-to-a-restaurant-that's-so-expensive-I-could' ve-fed-an-entire village-in-Africa-by-just-using-the-money-of-the-a ppetizers, and eventually my first time. He made sure it was perfect, as everything always was when Sasuke was in charge.

We went to Paris, rented the most amazing suite with a view on the Eiffel tower. Needless to say, if I had an idea about the perfect date and first time, Sasuke outperformed it. No doubt.

But all good things come to an end. So did our romantic relationship. Our little bickerings became enormous fights, usually ending in something being thrown. Sasuke also more possessive. He became jealous of my friends. I wasn't allowed to spend more time with Hinata and Sakura, because he was more important. I did a foolish thing, and obeyed to his wishes. Luckily, Hinata and Sakura understood, but didn't approve.

Things started to become better after I stopped seeing Sakura and Hinata. I genuinely believed it was just a phase. It wasn't. After a little mini-break to Rome during the Spring Break, things took a turn to the scandalous. I returned a little earlier to our room. I had done some shopping. Sasuke stayed in the room, claiming he felt a bit under the weather. When I arrived at the room I saw he wasn't feeling under the weather. He was under the sheets with some ginger skank (she wasn't even that pretty). They were going at it like rabbits. After my initial shock which lasted about five seconds, I stormed out the hotel, got a taxi, went to the airport and immediately bought a ticket back home. I couldn't care I had to cough up extra money. My heart was broken and so was the relationship.

A week after this, Sasuke tried to contact me. I didn't listen to him. I couldn't care any less for that bastard. At least, that is what I tried to make myself believe. In truth, I was heartbroken. But Sakura and Hinata were there for me. Turns out, Mr Douchebag cheated on me during our relationship. Before Rome. My friends informed me of this. Apparently, he was two-timing ever since he got me into bed in Paris. He had gotten bored. Lovely. All the gifts, the expensive dinners. All for nothing. I was quite upset for a while. Luckily I had my classes to keep my mind off things. My friends also were a pillar, making sure I wouldn't crumble.

After I told Sakura what had happened in the park, She grew white. Not because she was scared, but because she was angry.

'I'll chop off his –'

'We needn't go so far' I tried to calm her, without success. 'Let him be a douche and apologize.' I softly said 'He had his fun and now I know better. Yes, it hurts seeing him and his apologies seem so sincere I want to crash into his arms and stay there for an eternity. But my mind warns my heart and I know what is the rational thing to do here. I won't forgive him. But I also don't want to hurt him, ironically. Let him be. I was just a bit upset, seeing him that suddenly. Sorry for bothering you.'

All this time Sakura didn't take her eyes off me. She studied me carefully. After ten seconds of silence she relaxed. She let out a big sigh.

'If he ever tries something funny, please tell me.' genuine concern mixed with a melancholic tone. 'You deserve so much better.'

Things were getting too serious. The mood; the atmosphere. I had to let out some comical note.

'Wanna call over Hinata and play Monopoly?' I put on a smile. A bit forced, but it did it's work. Sakura complied and added with a sly smile

'If Hinata's coming, let's invite Kiba too.'


End file.
